Measuring device for bed springs



Oct. 25,1955 F. J2 WOLFANGER 4 2,721,477

MEASURING DEVICE FOR BED SPRINGS Filed Oct. 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l TJEJI. I

I I I I I l I I .4 /I I I I I I l I l L V INVENTOR (11:1 2 ZZOQW 41's ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1955 J. WOLFANGER MEASURING DEVICE FOR BED SPRINGS Filed Oct. 15, 1952 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M w Y R 2km W 0 v T mi m B 1955 F. J. WOLFANGER 2,721,477

MEASURING DEVICE FOR BED SPRINGS Filed Oct. 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lCI.E.

BY MM 4/: ATTORNEY United States Patent MEASURING DEVICE FOR BED SPRINGS Fred J. Wolfanger, Merrick, N. Y.

Application October 15, 1952, Serial No. 314,771

4 Claims. (Cl. 73-161) This invention relates to measuring devices for bed springs, including box springs.

In the use of spiral springs, in the manufacture of springs, such as bed springs or box springs and the like for beds, due to the various conformations of human bodies, and in part due to the different sizes and different weights, as well as due to the different curvatures of the spine, if all of the spiral springs of a given bed spring or box spring are alike in size and strength and terminate at about the same upper level, they will form a substantially plane upper surface more or less uniform in rigidity which will not readily conform to the curvatures of the spine and body, so that a greater pressure will of necessity be exerted on some portions of the body than on other parts of the body resulting in discomfortur e, a hindrance to sleep particularly of those affiicted with sleeplessness, and in some instances actually in injury to the delicate and aged. With this in mind, attempts have been made from time to time to regulate the tensions of the spiral springs comprising the spring unit so that they will more readily conform to the shape of the person using the bed. In an endeavor to overcome this objection, attempts have been made with bed springs or box springs having a plurality of transversely extending rows of spiral springs, at least to predetermine the tension of each row so that the several rows will more nearly conform to the shape or curvature of the body of the intended user. For this purpose a measuring device such as the present is provided on which the intended user lies and then the tensions of the several transverse rows adjusted so that they will yield more nearly to the conformity of his body. The measuring devices heretofore produced have been rather crude and unreliable for one reason or another and awkward to operate. In view of the defects heretofore encountered the present invention has for an object to produce a measuring device for predetermining the relative tensions of the successive transverse rows of spiral springs so that they will more nearly conform to the shape and curvature of the body of the user, which measuring device may be operated with facility, is reliable in its action and may be operated by the unskilled salesman without difiiculty and with little risk of error.

More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a measuring device consisting of a spiral spring unit having its spiral springs arranged in transverse rows which may with facility be accurately tensed to conform more nearly to the shape and curvature of the body of the user when lying on the same, which tensions in turn can with facility be measured after having been determined, relative to a predetermined fixed level, and which level can with facility be manipulated and fixed to correspond to the body of the user and which tensions after having been determined can with facility be measured and recorded to enable the manufacturer to produce a bed spring or box spring with similarly placed trans-- versely extending rows of spiral springs of the tension so predetermined.

2,721,477 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view partly broken away of a measuring device made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the links collapsed as distinguished from the erect position shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental section similar to the section of Fig. 2 showing the springs under compression.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental perspective showing the compression indicator in detail.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a fragmental section showing a rod instead of a chain as the limiting device.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, the measuring device in principle is similar to the spring unit of a bed having a rectangular lower metal frame 1 supported on the metal supporting leg forming brackets 2. On the transverse end bars 3 and 4 of the frame 1 there are secured the transverse rows of the conventional spiral springs 5 and 6, respectively. Between the rows 5 and 6 in the present instance, there are positioned a plurality of adjustable rows of spiral springs 7. The upper ends of the spiral springs 5, 6 and 7 are each provided with, and have secured thereto, a sheet metal disk 8, which disks 8 in turn are connected to coil spring connectors of relative small diameter, such as the connectors 9 which in turn are connected to the longitudinally extending flat sheet metal strips 10 positioned between the longitudinally extending rows of spiral springs 5, 6 and 7. The outer edges of the disks 8 of the transversely extending rows of spiral springs 5 and 6 are secured in place under the flanges 11 of the end bars 12 and 13 of the upper rectangular frame 14 and the outer edges of the disks 8 of the outermost spiral springs of the transverse rows of spiral springs 5, 6 and 7 are secured in place under the flanges 15 of the side bars 16 and 17 of the frame 14.

Beneath each row of transversely extending spiral springs 7 there is provided a U-shaped bracket 18, the upper free ends of which are connected to the outer faces of the flanges 19 and 20 of the side bars 21 and 22, respectively, of the lower frame 1. In turn, the lower ends of each row of transversely extending spiral springs 7 are connected to a transversely extending bar 23, each of which in turn is provided with two downwardly depending bars or extensions 24 and 25 having guiding disks 26 on opposite sides of the lower ends to form safety guides to maintain the lower ends of the bars 24 and 25 in engagement with the inclined edges of the cams 27 and 28 mounted on a transversely extending bar 29. In the present instance there are provided two cams 27 and 28 for each bar 23 and one bar 29 for each row of transversely extending spiral springs 7 Each bar 29 in turn is slidably mounted on the bar 30 secured to the intermediate web 31 of the bracket 18. In order to maintain the bar 29 in alinement with the bar 30, there are provided the short guide plates 32 and the long guide plates 33 extending upwardly from the bar 30, the short plates 32 in the present instance being disposed between the long plates 33 and the cam 28, and the long plates 33 disposed between the short plates 32 and the cam 27. The guide disks 26 extend down to the corresponding opposite faces of the cams 27 and 28 in order to maintain the lower ends of the extensions 24 and 25 in engagement with the inclined edges of t] ther to an the bar 30 one plate I and 8. I1 tical move bar 23 to as shown 1 From tl bar 29 is r the cams I the extens therewith such bar 2 of the bar the preser the end oi 37 secure: thread of extending leg 39 an the collar side of tilt turn is pr( or nut he wrench 4 on the sp facilitate 8 of the such as tl such as tl'v their uppl 31 of the In 0rd: springs 7 Fig. 7, is 1 the level the plate side bar 2 letters or the comp From t tion econ read, ant means of tained th Anothe provision to a prec' ture. A( be drawn the hip t posture i uring dev the user t which is the. ear 2 rows of s of the us ment the position the midd remainin user bec readings springs 0 these rea In 0rd allel to tl springs 7 of the b have bee allel link of the e: the hori:

another to maintain said parallel links in parallel relationship, the upper ends of said parallel links being bifurcated to form recessed seats, a main alining bar removably positioned in said seats, and means for anchoring said alining device in a predetermined erect position to enable the attendant to concentrate on the manipulation of said actuating means.

2. In a measuring device for bed springs, the combination of a lower frame, an upper frame, a first group of two rows of transversely extending spiral springs, each row connected to and spacing apart one of the ends of said frames leaving the sides free and unobstructed, a second group of a plurality of rows of transversely extending spiral springs with the outermost spiral spring of each row connected at its upper end to said upper frame, all of the spiral springs in said two groups connected to one another at their upper ends, vertically movable transversely extending bars, one of said vertically movable bars for each row of springs in said second group and supportingly engaging the lower ends of such row, adjusting means mounted on said lower frame and operatively connected to said vertically movable bars to determine the level of said vertically movable bars and thereby the compression on the rows of spiral springs in said second group, said adjusting means consisting of a plurality of horizontally movable bars mounted on said lower frame, one of said horizontally movable bars below, and for, each row of spiral springs in said second group, a plurality of cam plates on said horizontally movable bars having upwardly facing inclined edges, depending extensions on each of said vertically movable bars resting on the inclined edges of the cam plates on its associated horizontally movable bar, said actuating means including actuating screws connected to the ends of said laterally movable bars during horizontal movement thereof, and guide means positively guiding said vertically movable bars in a vertical direction and said horizontally movable bars in a horizontal direction.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 characterized by indicator fingers on the ends of said vertically movable horizontally extending bars at the side of said measuring device where said actuating means are located, and an indicator having level markings thereon extending upwardly from, on, and the outer side of said lower frame adjacent to said indicator fingers to enable reading the compression on said springs on the same side where the actuating means are located while manipulating said actuating means.

4. In a measuring device for bed springs, the combination of a lower frame, an upper frame, a first group of two rows of transversely extending spiral springs, each row connected to and spacing apart one of the ends of said frames leaving the sides free and unobstructed, a second group of a plurality of rows of transversely extending spiral springs with the outermost spiral spring of each row connected at its upper end to said upper frame, all of the spiral springs in said two groups connected to one another at their upper ends, vertically movable transversely extending bars, one of said vertically movable bars for each row of springs in said second group and supportingly engaging the lower ends of such row, adjusting means mounted on said lower frame and operatively connected to said vertically movable bars to determine the level of said vertically movable bars and thereby the compression on the rows of spiral springs in said second group, an alining device having a pair of parallel links pivotally connected at their lower ends to the outside of one side of said lower frame, a connecting link parallel to said lower frame and connecting said parallel links to one another to maintain said parallel links in parallel relationship, the upper ends of said parallel links being bifurcated to form recessed seats, a main alining bar removably positioned in said seats, and means for anchoring said alining device in a predetermined erect position to enable the attendant to concentrate on the manipulation of said adjusting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 344,014 Stevenson June 22, 1886 1,141,483 Pfeiffer June 1,. 1915 2,327,829 Sternberg Aug. 24, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Clarkator, The Clark Instrument Co., Dearborn Mich., Oct. 18, 1947. 

